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Groups > alt.os.development > #8749

Re: Smaller C

From "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net>
Newsgroups alt.os.development
Subject Re: Smaller C
Date 2015-09-11 18:16 -0700
Organization Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID <msvucu$kd0$1@speranza.aioe.org> (permalink)
References (14 earlier) <4837e85f-886b-4db4-8b7e-6005a9f39494@googlegroups.com> <mssfjm$e3$1@speranza.aioe.org> <a9110bdf-add3-428c-b6da-2dbd52f45557@googlegroups.com> <msvds4$ig1$1@speranza.aioe.org> <op.x4tlsdpnyfako5@localhost>

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"Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> wrote in message 
news:op.x4tlsdpnyfako5@localhost...
> On Fri, 11 Sep 2015 16:32:14 -0400, Benjamin David Lunt <zfysz@fysnet.net> 
> wrote:
>
>> However, at the moment, and probably for some time, I will not
>> need anything like that in my OS development, and will probably
>> not pursue it much further than what I have done so far.  At
>> least not at the moment.  I will be interested to see what you
>> come up with, whenever you do add this functionality to yours.
>
> Well, I rarely use any qualifiers.  They're generally not needed,
> if you're a cautious programmer.  I've never found a use for 'const'.
> I've only used 'static' once for convenience.  'volatile' is required
> once and a while for OS development, e.g., raw screen output or
> memory mapped device, especially for things outside the control of
> your code.  'register' was convenient.  However, GCC eliminated the
> ability to use it for file scope variables.  That, IMO, was the
> *PRIMARY* situation where you'd want to use one, e.g., fast global
> pointers or global counters for your application.  Apparently, the
> GCC maintainers felt that Linux OS coders were abusing 'register'
> and this prevented registers from being used in OS code.  'register'
> variables can still be used within procedures, but an 'unsigned char'
> will typically use a register by default with the C compilers I'm
> accustomed to.

I use 'const' on a regular basis.  This helps me make sure not to
modify something that shouldn't be modified.

Ex:

int dosomething(const struct SOMESTRUCT *somestruct) {

  // do something with the struct, but be sure
  //  to not modify any of it.

}

My compiler accounts for this. I think :-).  Mostly anyway.

Alex has a point when he gave the example of the line that
needed to be derived.

  int * volatile * const * const volatile pppi;

However, in my opinion, a compiler that will correctly compile
that line is a compiler way more advanced than the one I am
willing to work on, at least for the moment.  I don't need
anything of that sort in my loader.sys file  :-)

I think the next task I will do is to optimize some of the
output code.

For example, it currently outputs

  mov  eax,offset some_var
  mov  ebx,eax
  mov  eax,[ebx]

where it could easily be modified to output

  mov  ebx,offset some_var
  mov  eax,[ebx]

or even

  mov  eax,[some_var]

My code, Alex' code for that matter, does output

  mov  eax,[some_var]

for some statements, but also outputs

  mov  eax,offset some_var
  mov  ebx,eax
  mov  eax,[ebx]

for others.

Alex has done quite a bit of work on SmallerC.  If you remember,
a while back, I asked about the 'case' statement within inner blocks:

switch (somevar) {
  case 1:
    for (;;) {
      case 2:
        ...
    }
    break;
  }
}

etc.  Well he spent a while and created some code to make it work
which I adapted to my compiler.

You can tell Alex has spent some long nights working on his
project.  :-)

I have some more studying to do to figure out all of the workings
of his compiler.

Anyway, thanks for the comments,
Ben

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Thread

Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-07-11 20:39 -0700
  Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-07-12 04:24 -0400
    Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-07-12 03:17 -0700
      Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-07-13 03:28 -0400
    Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-07-12 19:12 +0100
      Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-07-12 17:09 -0700
      Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-07-13 11:10 +0100
        Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-07-13 23:13 -0400
          Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-07-14 09:08 +0100
            Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-07-15 02:23 -0400
  Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-08-15 02:12 -0700
    Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-06 15:54 -0700
      Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-07 12:19 -0700
        Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-07 13:30 -0700
          Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-09 19:38 -0700
            Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-09 19:49 -0700
            Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-09 20:58 -0700
            Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-10 01:45 -0700
              Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-10 10:45 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-10 23:20 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "wolfgang kern" <nowhere@never.at> - 2015-09-11 09:26 +0200
                Re: Smaller C "wolfgang kern" <nowhere@never.at> - 2015-09-11 09:50 +0200
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-11 00:58 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-11 17:38 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-11 23:39 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-11 19:39 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-12 11:22 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-12 02:21 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "wolfgang kern" <nowhere@never.at> - 2015-09-12 21:53 +0200
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 03:37 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 09:49 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "wolfgang kern" <nowhere@never.at> - 2015-09-13 12:58 +0200
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 07:32 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 19:05 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-14 13:19 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-15 00:01 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-18 14:48 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-26 16:23 -0400
                Re: Smaller C James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-27 00:23 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-26 16:37 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-27 10:17 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-27 10:24 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-27 10:46 -0400
                Re: Smaller C James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2016-01-16 16:14 +0000
                Re: Smaller C Rod Pemberton <NoHaveNotOne@bcczxcfre.cmm> - 2016-01-23 13:20 -0500
                Re: Smaller C James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2016-01-27 13:52 +0000
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-27 10:28 -0400
                Re: Smaller C James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2016-01-16 16:31 +0000
                Re: Smaller C Rod Pemberton <NoHaveNotOne@bcczxcfre.cmm> - 2016-01-23 13:20 -0500
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-18 16:21 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-20 17:25 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "wolfgang kern" <nowhere@never.at> - 2015-09-13 12:43 +0200
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 09:21 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "wolfgang kern" <nowhere@never.at> - 2015-09-13 13:02 +0200
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 19:09 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-11 13:32 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-11 18:51 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-11 18:16 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-12 02:36 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-12 11:56 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 03:45 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 10:28 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 02:53 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 11:17 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 16:54 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 21:39 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 20:31 -0700
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 09:03 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 19:48 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 21:33 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-14 23:17 +0100
                Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-20 17:37 -0400
                Re: Smaller C "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-20 23:46 +0100
  Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-11 21:37 -0700
    Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-11 22:29 -0700
      Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-12 03:25 -0700
        Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-12 11:18 -0700
          Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-12 11:39 -0700
          Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 03:47 -0400
            Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 11:31 -0400
          Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-13 02:00 -0700
            Re: Smaller C "Rod Pemberton" <boo@fasdfrewar.cdm> - 2015-09-13 11:31 -0400
            Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-13 09:15 -0700
    Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-12 02:45 -0700
      Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-12 10:55 -0700
  Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-15 19:23 -0700
    Re: Smaller C "Alexei A. Frounze" <alexfrunews@gmail.com> - 2015-09-16 03:03 -0700
      Re: Smaller C "Benjamin David Lunt" <zfysz@fysnet.net> - 2015-09-16 10:17 -0700

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